Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Virtual Paintout - Belfast, Northern Ireland



Belfast, Northern Ireland - Shankill Road
15x20 watercolor

This is my October effort for the Virtual Paintout. This month was Belfast. I did a lot of web searching about, to find where in Belfast you could get a view of the world famous mural/wall paintings. So I did my Google street viewing and found many murals on many streets but loved this view on Shankill Road with what appears to be some kind of horse and buggy race that was rounding the corner. I was well into painting this when I discovered that someone else had found this very view and posted it on the Virtual Paintout site. I wasn't sure what to do at that point - and being that we were going out of town, (etc., etc.) I chose to go ahead and finish this and post it anyway. I was thinking that I could choose another view and do it before the end of this month - but I'm running out of October and have not even started my next blues musician.

14 comments:

Shelley Ross said...

Hi Gary

I'm glad you posted it even though it is the same scene as someone else chose. The paintings are completely different, so I don't think it matters.

Lovely handling of the building. You sure can draw! I like the shadow below the horse and cart.

I have not yet found inspiration in Belfast, whereas Lisbon inspired me immediately.

Gary said...

Thanks for the support Shelley. Yeah - Lisbon was darn near too much! I loved (still do) what you found in there.

Ellen Burkett said...

Very nice Gary!! The shadows are wonderful and the sunlight is perfect. I think I love this!!

Leslie Hawes said...

Splendid painting! It has all the high points of Belfast.
Beautifully done.

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed painting this one too. Wish I had your talent. :)

Melissa

Gary said...

Thanks for the comments yall - and Texas, great minds think alike, yes?

R K said...

Great strong color.
It is a strange justice in that last month in Lisbon someone did the same view you had done...birds and all!
Gives another new meaning to "it's a small world".
I too have been trolling the murals and have become sadly familiar with "the Troubles" through them.

Dan Kent said...

Wonderful composition - beautifully painted. It has such a nostalgic feel about it, like an old quilt. It's a really special and unique piece I think (even if Texas also painted it!)

FitFoodieMegha said...

Beautiful work Gary! You have chosen a nice subject.. I really like the shadow of the horse and the foggy effect...:)

Jeanette Jobson said...

The same view as someone else or not, you put your own interpretation on it and make it your own. I like the colours in this and the sense of movement with the horse and buggy.

Your style comes through clearly in this piece.

I need to squeeze in another Belfast piece too, something more interesting than my green fields that I did.

Ramona Davidson said...

Love the colors and shadows. Great painting. Love the detail.

Autumn Leaves said...

What beautiful intensity of colors! I love your version!

Peachtreeart said...

Your watercolours are amazing I always think they are computer generated because they have show such a "perfection" in both application and sytle and actually look very "smooth." I know that is a strange word to use when describing art but I know watercolour paper tend to be "bumpy" and your surface doesn't have the look.

Silvia Williams Paints Watercolors said...

Lost my first comment. Love your pieces especially the abstract slide show. Thanks for going to my blog some time back. Visited Edisto year or two back. Interesting place. Loved your apples for Jeannette's challenge, too.